


Reunited

by Bumblewish



Series: Era 3 to Rubies [3]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Episode: s02e22 The Answer, F/F, Fluff, Gem Fusion, Gen, Hiding, Homeworld Gems - Freeform, Original Character(s), Possible Character Death, Post-Episode s05e29-32 Change Your Mind, Post-Steven Universe: The Movie, Pre-Steven Universe Future, Sibling Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:53:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23656405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bumblewish/pseuds/Bumblewish
Summary: Blue Diamond ended up doing what Yellow did and told her Rubies, in a more gentler way, to move on with their lives. Ember and Ace are two Era 1 Rubies learning to adapt to Era 3 over the next two years. Then there's the rumors that the two Rubies and their friends deal with during the first year, especially revolving around a certain fusion and a gem that both Ember and Ace thought was shattered back during the war. One-Shot
Relationships: Ruby/Sapphire (Steven Universe)
Series: Era 3 to Rubies [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703032
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	Reunited

**Author's Note:**

> Ember is the Ruby from Garnet's Yoga class in SUF, Ace is that crazy Ruby from 'Guidance', and most tagged characters are name-dropped or mentioned. Also, that purple Pearl giving directions is Aubergine Pearl. 
> 
> This one-shot takes place one month after the beginning of Bluebird Rising and about 2-4 weeks before the beginning of SUF.

After Yellow Diamond decided to call a meeting to tell the Yellow Court Rubies to move on with their lives, Blue Diamond called one about a month later. Two Rubies, who will later be known as Ember and Ace, wait for their beloved Diamond’s orders. Every Ruby in the Ballroom was nervous. Ember had heard a rumor from a Yellow Court Ruby, that she would later think of as ‘Cappy’ because her gem was placed on her knee, that they were going to be released from their duties. Unknowingly, to the Blue Court Rubies, they were a lot more behaved because they were worried about being booted from the Empire, which also no longer existed according to Cappy. 

Ember and Ace haven’t felt this nervous in a long time. The last time they felt this emotion was when they lost their third teammate, the first of many, to the war. Ember remembered reforming on Homeworld, learning that their third teammate, the one that survived the rebels’ attack on the Sky Arena was gone. However, according to some rumors spread by Jades, there was a Ruby fusion in the false Era 3 ball that came from Earth. Ember didn’t want to get her hopes up while Ace didn’t believe them. To the two Rubies, the last Ruby was pretty much considered shattered. 

Blue Diamond made her announcement quick and kindly stayed to comfort the Rubies, thinking that this would please Steven. Ember and Ace quickly left the other Rubies to hug and cry into their Diamond. It was a known fact that Blue Court Rubies were either emotionless or way too emotional. However, emotionless was a term for Blue Court Rubies that have developed immunities to their Diamond’s aura. These Rubies were also rare. Ember and Ace were not emotionless, they just so happened to have other things on their minds. 

They spent a few days wandering the streets of Homeworld, looking for something to do. Ember was bored and Ace was impatient. Homeworld was in a period of time where most Rubies were either emotionally unstable, or incredibly hostile. One day, Ember spotted a purple Pearl giving directions to a couple Homeworld gems and her expression brightened when one of the gems actually said ‘Thank you!’. Ember told Ace and the two Rubies ended up spending the next six months spying on gems who were positively adapting to the changes of Era 3. 

During this time, Ember and Ace heard rumors of the construction of Little Homeworld on Earth and were interested. However, the two Rubies weren’t ready to leave their hideout, which was a closet where they, a pair of Pearls, and a Bismuth-Jade perma-fusion lived. All of them shared a fear of the changes presented in Era 3, but at the same time, they were rather interested. 

Ace told her companions about this rumor and one of the Pearls, a citrus yellow one who Ember nicknamed Lemon, immediately shot it down as false due to her fear. The other Pearl, an orange one that Ember nicknamed Peach, was hesitant, but interested. “We can’t trust the words of a rumor!” Lemon had explained. “For all we know, it’s a trick to get us shattered!” Peach shrugged. “On the bright side,” she debunked. “It could just be a rumor from an excited Jade.”

The perma-fusion, named Tanzanite, huffed with disapproval. “It might not be a Jade who spread that rumor,” she scoffed. “Jades aren’t the only uppercrust gems that exist. This rumor could have been spread from a more chattier uppercrust, let’s say an Aquamarine.” “Or this rumor might not be a rumor after all!” Ember cut in. “It could be news that we didn’t yet!” Ace nodded. “Maybe we should think this through before taking a Warp down to Earth,” she suggested. Everyone nodded and agreed.

Ember, Ace, and the rest of the gang went by their normal schedules for another three months before Ace met a lost gem. Ace was on her own, looking for more news on the Little Homeworld rumor when she saw her, a dark pink gem with a panicked look on her face. It was clear that the gem didn’t like crowds. 

Ace cut into the crowd, slipping past gems of all castes before offering her hand out for the pink gem. The gem quickly took it and Ace led her into a more secluded area. “Era 3 ain’t easy,” she told the Pink gem, who was beginning to calm down. “Nah,” she said, I just don’t do well in crowds.” Ace nodded. “Mah name’s Ace,” she introduced. The Pink gem had a faint smile on her face “Spinel,” she replied. 

Ace nodded. “I’ve never seen a gem like you before,” she told Spinel. “I was Pink Diamond’s entertainment,” Spinel informed her. “Now I just spend my time making the other Diamonds happy… At least until I got lost.” Ace sighed. “I know the way back to the Diamond Palace,” she offered. “Do you want me to take you back?” Spinel nodded. “Yes, please!”

As Ace and Spinel got closer to the Diamond Palace, Spinel’s cheery personality began to return. “Blue and Yellow will be so happy to see me safe and White will be like ‘I was so worried darling!’” Spinel was rather talkative. “Do you have any friends?” Spinel suddenly asked. “You seem to look rather alone.” Ace blushed. “Yeah,” she told the jester gem. “I live with another Ruby named Ember and my friends Lemon, Peach, and Tanzanite!” Spinel frowned in thought. “Is Ember not your friend?” Ace shook her head. “Ember is more than a friend, she’s from the same kindergarten as mine!” Spinel nodded. “Like a sister, right?” Ace nodded. “Yeah!”

Spinel found her way back to the palace shortly after and Ace decided to keep their friendship a secret, as to not worry Lemon and Tanzanite. Peach was a lot calmer, but terrible with secrets that don’t involve Pearl ownership. Ember was bad with secrets as well. 

Eventually, Ember and Ace ended up being the only gems to go to Little Homeworld, once the location was fully functional due to Lemon and Tanzanite being too afraid to try it. Peach only stayed with the two gems for emotional support. 

Little Homeworld was rather busy and the two Rubies quickly met the one and only Steven Universe, who apparently now ran a school called Little Homeschool. Ember and Ace both signed up although they didn’t decide on the same classes. Ember was more drawn to Garnet’s classes being fascinated by the fusion and how much it reminded her of her lost Ruby sister, while Ace was more artsy and ended up being in classes run by Lapis, Bismuth, and Peridot. 

Ember liked Garnet’s classes. Ember wasn’t an aggressive Ruby and she really enjoyed the calm moments. One particular day, for Ember, ended up being different from the rest. About ten minutes into the first class she had with Garnet, the fusion approached her. Ember blinked. “Hello, Garnet!” Garnet smiled. “I saw several different futures where you asked me if one of my components was at the Sky Arena that day,” she began. “I’ll let them answer for you.” Ember’s eyes widened as Garnet unfused. Ruby and Sapphire were holding hands and Ruby nodded. “Sorry for messing up the assignment, Ember,” Ruby began. Ember cried tears of joy and tackled Ruby in a hug. “I can’t believe it!” Ember gasped, getting off of Ruby. “And the Sapphire…” “Is the same one from back then,” Ruby finished. 

“Then you didn’t fail,” Ember told her. “I was sad and I definitely thought you were dead, but I could never be mad at how happy you are.” Ruby and Ember shared one last hug before Ruby and Sapphire fused back into Garnet. “And we’re glad that you’re able to find happiness as well,” Garnet finished. 

Ember and Ace sat next to each other under a tree near the woods in Beach City later that day. “I’m thinking about becoming one of the Pizza Mayor’s bodyguards with those four Yellow Court Rubies through GHEM,” Ace informed Ember. “That’s cool,” Ember replied. “But not as cool as the fact that our lost sibling Ruby is living a happy life with Sapphire!” Ace stared in shock. “You mean that the fusion at the ball was the work of our Ruby!?” Ember nodded. Ace scowled. “But I was there! How did I not recognize her!?” 

Ember shrugged. “It had been over five thousand years since we last met,” she reasoned. “Also, you’re starting to burn the grass.” Ace jumped and glanced down at the burnt grass and frowned. “Sorry,” she muttered. “It’s just hard knowing that a teammate that you thought was dead is alive, happy, and doesn’t even need you.” Ember nodded. “I don’t think we’re the only Rubies who feel that way either,” she reasoned. Ace smiled. “That’s true! Rubies used to get shattered all the time!” Ember sighed. “I still like Era 3 more than the last two Eras,” she stated. Ace agreed. 

“Sometime we should introduce Garnet to Tanzanite,” Ace suggested. “Yeah,” Ember agreed. “That would be a riot!” Ace jumped up. “Oh and let’s introduce Lemon and Peach to the Diamond’s former Pearls as well!” Ember’s eyes shined at Ace’s suggestion. “We could make it a Pearl Party!” Ace nodded. “I can’t wait until we get the chance!”


End file.
